Pupils from Sycamore Primary School in Nottingham with Environment Minister Lord Henley at the Eco-Schools Conference

School children can set an example and encourage eco-friendly behaviour right across the country, Environment Minister Lord Henley said today.

The minister was speaking as he met youngsters at this year’s Eco-Schools Conference, where pupils are awarded for their work such as saving water, cutting litter and growing plants and vegetables.

More than 2,000 students attended the conference at the East of England Showground in Peterborough to take part in activities and workshops.

Lord Henley said: “I hope young people will be inspired by what they see here today and take what they learn back to their homes, schools and communities to encourage eco-friendly behaviour all over the country.

“In particular, the problem of litter blights our towns and countryside, not to mention environment, so new ideas to tackle this are urgently needed.”

The conference is arranged by the charity Keep Britain Tidy. Eco-Schools was launched in this country 15 years ago, and there are now around 15,000 schools in the programme.